The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-04

door shone bright: the two windows of the din
ing room where the cloth was being laid and
the three windows of the drawing room where
Maria would be waiting dinner, glowed softlier
through yellow blinds. 1t was like vision of
the past All this time of his absence, life had
gone forward with an equal foot and the fires
and the gas had been lighted, and the
meals spread, at the accustomed hours
At the accustomed hour too. the bell had
sounded thrice to call the family to worship
And at the thought. pang of regret for his de-
merit seized him; he remembered the things
that were good and that he had neglected, and
the things that were evil and that he had loved;
and it was with prayer upon his lips that he
mounted the steps and thrust the key into the
keyhole
door softly behind him, and stood there fixed in
wonder. No surprise of strangeness could qual
the surprise of that complete familiarity. There
was bust of Chalmers near the stair ratings
there was the clothesbrush in the accustomed
place; and there, the-hatstand hung hats
and coats that must surely be the same he
remembered Ten years dropped from his life
as pin may slip between the fingers; and the
ocean. and the mountains. and the mines. and
the crowded marts and mingled races of San
FRANCISCO, and his own fortune and disgrace.
became. Tor that one moment, the figures OF
dream that was over.
He took off his hat and moved mechanically
towards the stand; and there he found a small
change that great to him. The PIN
that had been his from boyhood, where he had
hung his balmoral when he loitered home from
the academy. and his first hat when he came
hriskly back from college or the office-his pin
was occupied They might have at least re.
spected my pin!- he thought. and he was moved
as by slight, and began at once to recollect
that he was here interlOper, in strange
house, which he had entered almost by burg
larry. and where at any moment he might be
scandalously challenged.
lie moved at once his hat still III his hand, to
the door of his fathers room. opened 1t, and en-
tered. Mr. Nicholson sat in the same place and
posture that last Sunday morning, only he
older. and greyer, and sterner; and as he
glanced up and caught the eye of his son,
strange commotion and dark flush sprang into
his face.
Father" said John, steadily, and even cheer
fully. for this moment against which he
was long ago prepared Father, here l am.
and here is the money that | took from You. L
have come back to ask your forgiveness and to
stay Christmas with you and the children"
Keep your money" said the father land CO."
''Fatherl" cried John; for Gods sake don't re-
ceive mein this way. I've come for
Understand me, - interrupted Mr. Nicholson;
''you are no son of mine and in the sight of God
| wash my hands of you. One last thing will
tell you; warning will give you; all Is dis
covered. and you are being hunted for your
crimes; if you still at large it is thanks to
me; but | have done all that Imean to do; and
from this time forth would not raise one I'm
ger-not finger to save you from the gal
lows! And now" with low voice of absolute
authority. and single weighty gesture OF the
finger, land nOw-go'